The Washington times., 1919-12-20
CHARGES JOHNSON
WITH CONSPIRACY
Attorney Says Big Ban Sought
To Drive Two CoIonels
From Baseball.

NEW YORK. December 2o.-New,
loud cracking hand grensdes were
hurled at each other late yesterday
by rival attorneys who engaged In
the latest skirmish OF the American
League battle.
Charges that Ban johnson went 10
far in his campaign to drive the Yam
KEGS out of baseball that he wss try
ing to get the Giants into a con-
spiracy TO deprive them of the use
Of the Polo Grounds. were made b.
Charles Tutte, attorney for the Yam
KEGS.
In retaliation. the accusation vas
made by Marvin wynne, attorney rep
resenting the Johnson faction. that
the three richest clubs OF the league
had resolved TO rule or ruin. he de-
clared they desired only TO harAss and
annoy the league president
Aat so~e New Cksps~r~-
The occasion OF the heated verbal
engagement was the hearing OF. ar
guments In the Supreme Court on the
Yankees motion to get James Dunn
and two other officers of the Cleve-
land club into court 10 question them
about the nature and extent OF John,
sons financial holdings and his psrs
of the management of the Cleveland
club.
The legal battiers, however, pluns~
ed into generalities, personalities and
added new chapters TO the noted
Mays histories
Tuttle fired the first gun when he
introduced as evidence a letter which
he alleged johnson wrote TO Eve club
owners denouncing the New York,
Chicago, and Boston clubs In. which
he declared they should be retired.
We all know how impossible they
are" He then referred TO q ~sur-
prising situation" The Yankees are
playing on the Polo grounds, owned
by the New York National League
year TO run. After citing this copdi-
tion. Johnson wrote:
~Msst he Driven ost-
''rhe New York club must be driven
out OF baseball am sure other peo-
pie can be interested in the propo-
sition and that satisfactory arrange
ments can be made with the owners
Of the New York National League
club"
He then referred TO the impossible
ity of finding q site in New York for
a new field.
Wynne charged that all the alleged
grievances OF the Three Musketeers"
were subterfuges.
ne cndrReO the only otleft the late
board OF directors had in calling the
league meeting in New York was to
get johnson, Dunn and others within
the Jurisdiction of the New York
courts. Before they reached New
York they were served with four sum
monses. he said.
Wynne also threw some light on the
so-called "peace pow-wow" the night
before the league meeting that broke
up In q. row.
offered 10 CeBPrsalse.
THE insurgents offered TO compro-
mise" wynne said. Here was their
compromise: They agreed not TO serve
any legal papers on the Johnson fac
ton IL they could be assured that two
of their representatives would be
named on the board Of directors and
that in al cases pertaining TO them
Frank Navin would not be allowed TO
vote, making a deadlock on anything
that might go against them
Referring TO the Mays case, Wynne
said Johnson had suspended the rebel
pitcher after he had notified Fraxee
and Manager Barrow TO discipline
him and they refused TO do II.
That is not So" Tuttle broke in.
'It is so. and we are going 20 prove
II at the trial as well as several
other things we have been keeping
quiet about" he said.
Justice Davis, who heard the arGu-
ments reserved his decision