Norwich bulletin., 1914-12-21
JOHNSON HOPS BACK
 TO ORGANIZED BALL
Pres. Gilmore of Feds Thinks the Star Pitcher Has Been Wronsfully Per suaded by Attorneys.


 Chicago. Dec 2O-WaIter Johnson, star of the pitching staff of the Wash ington Americans, who Jumped to the Federal League and who yesterday announced he had jumped back to his old club has not yet communicated with James A. Gilmore, president of the FederaIs, nor returned the S6,000 adanvced salary paid him, 1t was said here today by Gilmore.
 Gilmore reiterated his belief that Johnson had been wrongfully persuad- ed by attorneys for the American League that the reserve clause of the American League contract would hold him.
 Gilmore today sent Johnson a long telegram urging the pitcher to come to Chicago at the expense Of the Federals and to submit the contracts to three lawyers, to be chosen by disinterested persons
 If it is the opinion of these lawyers that your action was justitied contin- ued the telegram, it will place you in
 the proper light before sPort-ioving people.
 If on the contrary it is their opinion that your action was not honorable and you then do not quickly repudi- ate the new contract which you signed yesterday. you will forever carry on your shoulders a burden of dishonor.
 If you come to Chicago as l re- quest, I will then know it was the un- fairlyfairly employed influence of old CT men which over persuaded you Gilmore said that he now had John sons 1914 contract with Washington calling for $10,000, of which SI,5O0 was salary and S2,50G an option Johnson complied with the terms of the option in first offering his services to the Sen ators, Gilmore said.
 When the St. Louis Federals with drew their offer of, S20,000 to John son." he continued, and announced 1 they were through with him, Washing ton immediately withdrew an offer they were reported to have made or tS16 OOO. This released Johnson on the option. He teIegraphed me he was
 unable to make terms with Washing 1 ton and it was month before we fn- ally agreed on terms"
 Gilmore declared that unless John
 son came to Chicago in response to his 1 telegram. he would immediately bring court action to prevent the pitching stars serving the Washington club. Gilmore left here tonight, but de- clared that he did not intend to visit Johnson at Coffeyville-
 Clark Griffith, manager of the Washington American team. arrived | here tonight on his way east from i Kansas. Walter JohnsOn's new con tract does not call for more than S12,- soc a year. and carries no bonus, Grif- filth declared. The only cash advanced
  to return the S6,000 advance made by the Federals, he said.
 The Washington manager said that ] Johnson had been so sorry that he i signed with the Federals that he had 1 lost 15 pounds in weight. Griffith and 1 the two lawyers with whom he met Johnson convinced the ball player that the option clause of the Washington
 contract was valid, he said Ban Johnson, president of the Amer
  1 Lick. Ind, said that the league sched-
 ule had been completed. The season will open April 14
 The negotiations for the sale of the
 New York American league team have not progressed as far as expected l Johnson said. They will be renewed here tomorrow, when Col. Jacob Rup- 1 pert and Captain Huston will arrive | here. The deal now hinges on the 1 obtaining of a manager satisfactory 1 to Ruppert and Huston. Ruppert's s l first choice. Johnson said, he had been l unable to obtain.
 l Snowbound on his farm near Cof- 1 feyville. Kansas, tonight Walter l Johnson said over the telephone that | he had no communication with James | A. Gilmore, president of the Federal 1 league, since singing the new Wash l ington American League club con- tract in Kansas City yesterday. Robinson said that the entire matter was in the hands of the American i League officials. Asked if he would 1 entertain GilmOre's proposition to
 make trip to Chicago at the expense 1 of the Federals, to submit his con- | tracts to three attorneys to be chosen l by disinterested persons, he said that 1 he might consider such d trip after 1 he received Gilmore's message. Walter Johnson's contract with the | Chicago Federal League club called | for the payment of a salary of ST. 1 500 a pear to the player according to 1 Robert B. Ward, president of the 1 Brooklyn Federal League club, who
 arrived in New York today from Chi
 cago, where he had attended a 1 conference with other Federal | league magnates. The contract Ward
 said was to run two years and pro- vided for S6,000 in advance money. MT. Ward declared his belief that l Johnson would either have to play | with the Federal league or not at all | next season.