Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-01-22
FEDS CD AFTER
ORGANIZED BALL
in THE COURTS
IBy Latest MALL


president of the Federal League. fired
a 42-centimeter shell at organized
baseball recently in the form OF a
suit in the United States district court
to dissolve the National Commission,
nullify all contracts with players and
restrain the older organization from
meddling with players of the Federal
League The action is brought under
the Sherman antitrust law, the bill
alleging that organized baseball is a
trust.
The bill also asks that the various
actions now pending against George
w. Johnson, Harold H. Chase, Arman-
do Marsans and Lee Magee be dismiss
ed.
The defendants named other than
President Johnson of the American
League, President Tener of the Ma
tional League and August Hermann
of Cincinnati, composing the National
Commission, includes the Is clubs in
the National and American Leagues.
Alleged damages the Federal
League has suffered by reason of acts
of organized baseball are asked to be
ascertained and assessed and that the
Federal League be given an execu-
| ton. The suit was made possible
through the action of Pitcher Walter
Johnson, who recently signed con-
tract to play during the season of 1915
with the Chicago Federal League
Club at salary of 1880 a year on
two-year contract and then recon.
sidered his action and jumped to the
Washington Club.
johnson accepted $4,000 from Chas.
III. Weeghman Though Manager Joe
Tinker at the time the contract was
signed at Coffeyville, Kan, but this
check was returned to Chicago by
johnson and Weeghman refused to
accept it upon advice of attorneys.
The bill says: The said national
agreement, said rules and regulations
of the National Commission and said
-lSaticna} GcmmissieAs -a1rd- eaeh4ief-
them, shall be declared and decreed
Illegal and void, and said defendants
and each Of them enjoined from oper-a
ating Hereunder.
That said defendants and each Of
them shall be declared and decreed as
constituting or forming part of COM
bination, conspiracy and monopoly in
violation of the common law, in con-
|travention of the antitrust and mo-
nopoly statutes and In restraint Of
trade and commerce in and among the
several states and in derogation Of the
constitutional right of contract, and
that said defendants and each of them
be enjoined from further continuing
or doing business as q part of or In
connection with said combination, con.
spiracy and monopoly.
Conspiracy to injure the Federal
League is alleged by threatening its
players and defaming the organization
by charging its members to be finan-
cially irresponsible.
Special exception is taken to cpl
thets alleged to have been applied tol
Federal League players and the court
is asked to restrain the defendant
from calling players under contract
with the Federal League contract
jumpers and from characterizing the
Federal League or its members as
outlaws.
After listing the sources of reve-
nue. of the National Commission the
bill of complaint asserts that sum
'tin excess of $4,000" was received by |
the National Commission from the |
Worlds Series between the Boston
Nationals and the Philadelphia Ameri |
cans in 1914, and that this has been
added to other moneys accumulated
by the National Commission and the |
surplg5es of the National League and
the American League "for the pur-
pose of undertaking to Cypress and In
jure or destroy" the Federal League
and its members.
Formal declaration of the formation |
of conspiracy to injure or destroy
the Federal League is alleged.
AThe Federal League Is represented
by Gates, Meyers, ions, Addington,
James and Seibold, attorneys Some
40 players who jumped the National
League are named in the bill as the |
players organized baseball is trying |
to win back. January 20 has been set |
for the hearing.
at will clear the baseball situation
for all time" said Gates. Judge Ian
dis, in whose court the suit. was |
brought, is an old baseball player. He
also fined the Standard Oil Company
$29, 000. 600.