The Washington times., 1915-01-31
American League Car Strikes
Hard at Federal President
for His Contract JUMPING
"TaIk."
Favors Lifting Draft In All
Class "A Circuits, But
Declares No Action Has
Been Taken.

NEW YORK, Jan. 81.-Ban John
son, car Of the American League,
has given the merry ha! hal TO Jim
Gilpore's story that Ban was re-
spohsible for the contract-jumping
which has disgraced baseball for the
last year.
"Gilmore, telling the story Of hin
meeting with me late last winter, ~
fleets little credit to him, II any one
knows the conditions under which I
ther met Gilmore" said Ban John
son today.
''T am we'll acquainted with Jim
Gilmore's brother, Charlie, and he
came to me last March and asked me
whether 1 would meet his brother,
Jim. replied that Jim Gilmore and
I were fighting on the opposite side
Of the fence and had no desire to
meet him.
"Finally, Charlie Gilmore asked
mo as a personal favor to him to
meet his brother, and I agreed on his
promise that the meeting should be
secret, and that nothing should be
said Of it. therefore consented to
meet Charlie and Jim Gilmore at tho
Automobile Club in Chicago.
'aA6ter talking for an hour and q halt
, a gsneral baseball topics, during which
time Jim Gilmore told me how he b.
came interested in baseball. he asked
mo to enter an agreement to respect
contracts. told him a. he was out
\ grabbing all our players he could induce
10 Join his league, could sec no way
10 enter into an agreement with him.
'TIe then asked whether he could meet
0ener; he then said he had no desire to
meet Hermann. I replied would wire
to Tener. and informed Gilmore would
phone him at 10 O'Clock the next morn
ing II there was anything doing. told
Gilmore II I did not phone everything
would be of. I did not call him up, 10
he should have had sense enough to
know that We did not care to enter into
any agreement with him..
but now comes the mean part Of It.
the promise Of his brother. Charles.
that tho meeting would be kept secret,
but what does Gilmore do but give II
to tho press q feew weeks later. AZ
Gilmore had no moro respect for his
brothers pledge than that, I absolutely
refused to have anything further to do
time. tine % sine. then, ms but .ISs refused @ to SPEAK
to him, and. furthermore. / shall never
agree to speak to him again.
And thus another person 10 added ia
Big Bans non-speaking list
President Johnson said he was In
favor Of lifting the draft not only
from the American Association, but
from all the other Class IA leagues
the International and tho Pacific
Coast League. However. no such &C.
ton has been taken as yet. and Chiv.
ington's statement was entirely pre-
mature" said Czar Ban.
'The commission has not given the
Glass IA leagues any such assur.
ances. while both Of the major
leagues must agree to It, Tho matter
will come before our league at ita
meeting next Wednesday,
eral League has employed since the
temporary let-up In the Chicago court
case. THE Feds. when asked wha,
they really want. declared they want
ed all present litigation settled in
Lands court, and all they asked was
that we let them alone. 1t was gen.
orally understood that there should
render his decision. yet here Is Gil.
moro In the East signing our players
He already has Deal Of the Braves
and I understand he Is after Mann