Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-01-06
WHALE BOSSPAYS
TAFT HIS FIGURE
Chicago National League Baseball
Club Sold by Owner Taft to
Charles Weeghman.
WITHOUT AID OF A LAWYER
Sinclair Plays Important Part in Deal
and Leaves for New York to
Purchase Giants.
FACTS ON DEAL.

FACTS ON DEAL.
Buyers-Charles Henri Weegh-
man and partners.
Purchase price-S500, 900 for 80
per cent of the stock.
Terms-Cash, money to be turn
ed over Jan. 20.
Number of shares in the club
1000.
Price, per share, 1922.
Outside holdings-Harry Acker-
land, 100 shares.
Value of Ackerlands holdings
$4,000.
Total value Of cIub-S552, 900.
Other conditions-Lease of West
Side ball park, running for IS
years, taken over by Weeghman
and associates.
Value Of grounds-$250,000
Present annual rental-S12, 900.
Average rental-About $4,000.
Cincinnati, Jan. 6.-The Chicago Ma
tional League Baseball club was sold
Yesterday to Charles Henri Weeghman
and associates by Charles P. Taft with
out the aid of lawyer. The purchase
price was 100000 for 80 per cent Of
the stock, all that was held by Mr..
Taft. The other 10 per cent, represent
ing Frank Chances former holdings,
and now owned by Harry Ackerland,
may be purchased later, although Mr..
Ackerland will be invited to remain in
the club. The money will be paid Jan.
20. when the actual transfer will be
made.
The reason for not closing the deal
yesterday was because Of Mr.. Weigh
mans wish to look into the contracts
of the club and get an audit Of the
books. 1t is figured that this can be
done before the date set for the trans
fer
It took just two hours and thirty
minutes to effect the sale, which was
made in the office of Mr.. Taft in the
Times-Star building. Outside Of the
presence of the movie man, there were
no frills to the transaction and at the
close Mr.. Taft smiled broadly as he
congratulated the new owner.
1t was u O'Clock when Harry F.
Sinclair and Charles H Weeghman ar
rived at Mr. Taft's offices. The two,
with Mr.. Taft and Charles Schmalstig,
financial secretary to Mr.. Taft, immed-
lately went into a session behind
closed doors. In just one hour and a
half. Sinclair emerged from the inner
recesses with the remark, Il am
through" He kept going until he
reached the Hotel Sinton where he
gave out the information that the deal
had been closed so far as he was con-
cerned.
Baltimore Snarl Remains.
While the sale of the Cubs was on
today the national commission went
into session, the most important piece
of news handed out being the reelec-
ton of the present members, with
Garry Hermann as chairman and John
r. bruce as secretary.
The committee appointed at the
peace meeting to straighten out the
tangle between the International
league and the Federal at Baltimore
and Buffalo, also met, but their re-
port went up in smoke when the Inter
national league fatty refused to make
any deal for the Baltimore Fed fran
chise The deliberations of the COM
mittee were cut short through the ill
ness of Ed Barrow, president Of the
International, who is threatened with
APPENDICITIS. He left on an early train
for the east, and other magnates fol-
lowed later.
OF TO Buy Giants.
Cincinnati. Jan. 6-Harry F. Sin
clair. bank roll of the Federal league
and the man who made baseball peace
possible. will leave for New York
tomorrow afternoon, ready to close the
deal for the Giants. He will go in com
pany with Charles Ebbets Of the
Brooklyn club. and the latter has been
instructed by his fellow magnates to
do everything in his power TO further
the deal.
This Is not intended as a slap at
President Hampstead Of the Giants,
who is popular with the club owners.
but is meant as a reward for the oil
man for what he has done for base
ball in general. 1t was made known
here last night that Hampstead is
ready TO step down-in fact, would
welcome such move-but as there
are a number of stockholders in the
New York National League club. he