The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-26
CALL ON COURTS
X. c. Magnates File Suit to
Hold Federal Franchise.
Injunction Is Issued FOrbidding
Transfer to New Owners.

Chicago. ILL.,. Feb. ga temporary
injunction issued by the circuit court
late Thursday held up the transfer Of
the Kansas City Federal League fran
chise to =. T. Powers, of New York,
which was expected to be effected at
the meeting Of the league in Buffalo
today.
The injunction was issued after the
Kansas City club had filed suit to
restrain the Federal League OF pro-
fessional baseball clubs from trans
ferring the franchise to another party
The writ of injunction was served on
James A. Gilmore. president of the
Federals. just as he was boarding a
train for the Buffalo meeting.
The bill recites that under the fran
chiSe given by the defendant league
February 2S, 1914. it was understood
that the Kansas City club could oper-
ate permanently as a member OF the
league and that consequently the club
had assumed a great many oblig-
a,ions. While admitting that loans
had been made from time to time by
the league, the club asserted that
these loans are offset by sums due
from the defendant. The bill states
that although the club has recently
asked the league for a statement of
its account being ready to pay any
just claims, the league has refused
any such statement, although contin-
uing to claim a balance due from the
club.
The suit was set for a hearing on
March 5.
A full accounting Of the inside af-
fairs of the Federal League, it's ex-
penses it's income and it's losses will
probably be made at the hearing, ac-
cording to counsel for the Kansas City
club.
u. j. Huff and Scion T. Gilmore.
Thursday here in an effort to dissuade
Federal League officials from trans
ferring the franchise, left for Buffalo
as soon as the suit was filled. They
will attend the league meeting and
make a further effort to retain the
franchise.
Powers Makes Statement.
Buffalo. N. V. Feb. 26.-T. b. Pow
ers, when informed of the Chicago in
junction proceedings against tranS@
ferring the franchise of the Kansas
City Federal League team. said:
That is up to President Gilmore
and the league. The contingency of
such proceedings was taken into con-
sideration and l believe the officials
OF the league are prepared to meet 1t.
The litigation over the Kansas City
Newark franchise, it was said, would
not hold up the work of the schedule
makers.
Powers had left for Buffalo, to at
tend the Federal league schedule
meeting before the announcement
came that the league had been re-
strained from transferring the fran
ohise to an eastern city. Brewer, east
ern representative for the Federal
league. and secretary to Robert B.
Ward, vice president of the league.
said:
The truth of the matter is that
Kansas City forfeited it's franchise be-
fore the end of the 1914 season when
the club was bankrupt and the league
was compelled to step In and meet. its
obligations.
Every club is bonded to the league
and the league holds all it's franchises
This makes it impossible for any in
dividual club to be weaned away from
the league as franchise would auto
matically revert to the league should a
club desire to leave the organization,
or find itself unable to meet its obli-
cations. The league was compelled to
step in and support the Kansas City
franchise to keep the club from sus-
pending. and thereby seriously injur-
ing the league.