New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-24
O. B. Has Twenty Days to
Answer Original Bill
of Complaint,
COUNSEL FOR NEW
LEAGUE SUMS UP
Final Days Argument Leaves
Question of Jurisdiction
Unsettled.

Csicsco. Jar. - Judge lands TO-
-;rh. toos under Amusement the
rravsr o. the Federal League for a
iemporary injunction against the lead
~ bodies Of organized baseball 20 re-
strain them from interfering with its
players and from prosecuting the sew
srsl suits against them.
Final argument on the motion was
made by I. J.. Gates. OF Indianapolis.
for the plaintiff. and the cour- then
granted the defendants twenty days in
Which 20 file answers 10 the original
bill o. Complaint. Should the court
grsnt or deny the temporary injunc-
lion asked the case viii be tried later
o. is merits.
NJ Gstes. in summing up the case
for the Federal League. charged that
Ire defendants constituted monopoly
IL restraint 81 trade and commerce:
referred 90 the intervening suits Of
lee MsCee and others in support Of
the involuntary seryitude charge. and
swelt on The workings Of the reserve
and ten-dsy clauses.
Main Question Unsettled.
TIE final days arguments left IN.
settled the question Of the courts
jurisdiction and the other phases of
he esse WI Oh The defence holds may
result IN q victory for its side. These
phases include the charge Of "unclean
hands" and the appeal against tearing
down g structure which organized ball
took forty years 20 build.
In endeavor.rc 20 clear up. As Judge
Lsndis requested. Just what the court
should write into a restraining order.
should one be issued" Mr.. Gates
stated the measure Of relief desired A..
once By the plaintiff.
The order. he said. should restrain
the clubs Of organized baseball from
hsrassirg the plaintiff. from tamper-
ing with or inducing its players 20
leave IFS ranks and from prosecuting
or initiating a multiplicity OF law
suits.
I'VE are not seeking 20 stop the de-
itndsnts from operating their usual
business said Gates. Eve 90 not ask
that they he prevented from carrying
out their training plans now or In the
end But We DO ask that they be tenn
porarily stopped from going into vari-
Gus state courts and getting injunc-
tons against our players. What harm
can il do the defendant e this court
says: Wait until the general oues-
ton; Involved are settled?
Jurisdiction Unsettled.
Judge lands again declared The
question Of Jurisdiction 20 be unset
tied
In support Of the Jurisdiction Of the
court 80 far as the question o. inter-
state commerce is concerned. Quincy
A. Meyers cited the exclusive contract
between one Of the major leagues and
q telegraph company. the transporta-
ton Of bats and balls and the travel
Ing under orders from the leagues OF
the umpires
To the charge that the plaintiff had
no direct interest IN the case, Mr..
Meyers answered By referring TO the
territorial restriction rules OF the ma
tonsl agreement.
Again bringing in the contract ques-
'lon, he said: what chance has a ball
player against this combination. adj
ni,tedl~ worth $4,000, 900? He must
Sgn this contract or none
VI. Meyers contradicted the state
nsnt that the new form Of contract in
ugsrized bal freed player year af-
W ths expiration Of his term Of ser
ra
II he stood on the contract alone
~ would not differ from the defend
shts,' he said But the rules Of the
Nstionsl Commission and the national
,greement tie the player hand and
loot
Statements concerning contracts
brought about q lively discussion, IN
which practically every lawyer CON
hseted with the case took part. The
FEDERAL League attorneys charged that
y order 90 see whether the Walter
'ohnson, Wiupo and Caldwell contracts
with organized ball clubs contained The
zane wording as others. they had asked
nat the defendants produce them, but
me latter had no, done so.
Object TO Showing Contracts.
The defendants said they would not
IRE 20 show the contracts, since they
would reveal the salaries paid, and
nat, anyway. they were outside the
jurisdiction. Finally. Judge Land .
drew out tho statement that their con-
tents were the same as the rest.
Gates made a fervid argument IN
't'uiation o. the charge Of entering
eour, with "unclean hands" He cited
me Vanguard case 20 show that his
clients practised fair play He SAID
nat the first question asked by the
teoerals. when the Cantillon peace
Proposition was made. indicated their
seeslre for reform in organized base
bail