The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-12
JOHNSON HELD
| STOCK IN RED SOX
Admits Under Oath He Was
Part Owner of BOSTON Club !.
for Three Years.
DEFENDS MAYS ACTION
League President Declares He
Was Not Aware Pitcher
Was Injured.
DEFENDS MAYS ACTION

BY NhhhbAAo ~ - - ASO4Ns
The fact that syndicate baseball in
n, most vlrulent form has prevailed
,or wears in the American League, and
n,t Ban Johnson, president Of the
lnrus has been and is tho autocratic
had Of the syndicate, was yesterday
ss,bllshed by the testimony OF Mr..
jOhnson in the proceeding instituted by
NE Ns~ York American League club
10 prevent the league president from
Interfering with the deal by which Carl
NAYS became a member Of the New
York club.
In a previous hearing before George
Gillespie as referee, Mr.. johnson
~ toolly admitted that he owned a large
block Of stock in the Cleveland club
Of the American League. and yester-
tay afternoon, in reply to the annoying
ousstions Of Charles 8. Tuttle, represent
nr the New York club, the witness nom
calamity testified that he had an in
,,reet In the Boston club of the Amer
ian League, covering a period of three
vars beginning with 1912. The pTesi-
d,nt OF the league naively added that
Ma interest in the Boston club was con-
uderable, but not enough to make him
, majority stock holder. Joseph ]. Lam
Mn, former owner of the Red Sox, q bit
tsr enemy of johnson, was among those
pssent yesterday. II was Lannin who
purchased Johnson's stock early In 1914.
While Jimmy McAleer ostensibly
.vned the Red Sox, 1t may be recalled
h,t the club was sold over his head to
Joe Lannin in the winter of 1e13-1s14,
while McAleer was taking the trip
sround the world with the Giants and
White Sox. McAleer was not even ad-
ysed Of the move. sRobert Mercy.
Johnson's former secretary. was in the
Boston club while Johnson had interests
there, as he later was in the Cleveland
club. McRoy was a stockholder and
offcer OF that club at the time Of his
death. r's
4 Protests From Five Climbs.
Answering questions put to him by
Mr. futile, Mr.. Johnson said that he
. had spoken to Connie Mack July Is in
| st Louis in reference to various clubs
Ndding FOR the services of Mays, and
lad written to ]. C. Dunn of the Cleve-
lad club on July 20 that fve clubs had
rptested against the transfer of Mays
league would stick together Mays would
remain with the Bostons and could not
bs engaged by any club that might be
looking for him. He said that he had
oral protests from the Philadelphia and
Cleveland clubs and written protests
from ST. Louis Washington and Detroit.
Letters had been sent to all the clubs
except New York and Boston. No reply
had been received from Chicago.
Don't you think" inquired Mr.. Tut
bs, that as long as you knew that sew
eral clubs we're negotiating for Mays that
It would have been more appropriate for
YOU TO write directly TO Harry Frazee.
the owner of the Bostons. and explain
the situAtion7" mo. didn't think that
Frazes would do anything wrong" was
the reply. II knew that New York and
Chicago were bidding for Mays"
Don't you think that II Frazee was
doing wrong in letting Mays go, IL was
erly fair to notify him7" again queried
VI, futile, and the witness snapped out
abref mo, SIR"
Mr. futile asked the witness IL. In
writing letter to Umpire Hildebrand.
who presided at the Chicago game. re-
euestlng him TO go among the players
and investigate what was the cause OF
Nays quitting. he had acted with pro-
prety, and If that was his idea OF the
duties Of an umpire.
The reply was that Il was the duty
Of the umpire to take orders from the
PRESIDENT Of the league and to furnish
lin with Information on any topic that
might be put up to him
Not Aware of Mays's Injury.
Mr. Johnson professed ignorance Of the
iat that Mays had been struck In the
neck by a ball thrown by the catcher on
July H. and that one of the players
found him crying in the clubhouse after
me accident had occurred. He admitted.
however. that he knew that Immediately
after Mays left the field In Chicago he
proceeded to Boston,. the home city of
Frazees club.
The witness also denied that any of
ue Cleveland club members had stated
70 him that Cleveland was anxious TO
secure Mayss services.
ar Johnson admitted that In 1919 he
haa an interest in the Boston club and
aad held it for about three years. His
interest however, was not a very large
one the greater portion of the stock
oslng owned by a number of Western
men
The witness declared that Il was up
NE Boston club to punish Mays for
,saving the field at the end of the third
inning In Chicago July Is. The Boston
Siup committed an oftense In transferring
gays to the New York club ana the New
lork club acted wrongly In securing the
services Of the pitcher.
n. Y. Owners Issue Statement.
Both the Yankee Colonels-Ruppert
sna Huston-as well as Frazee of Bos-
,oh, were delighted with the outcome oi
Yesterdays hearing. They believe John.
ueHts
In the examination of Mr.. Johnson
n-oey before Referee George ]. GILES,
pe, one Of the most important admis
s'ohs made by Mr.. Johnson was that a
~ ume did he write or intimate tC
tuner the Boston or New York club
ust he would suspend Carl Mays In case
uahster was made OF the player. Had
ny Gone so, and he admits that he con
ssnpated such suspension, the transfer
would not have been made. Obviously
player.
IN other words, II Mr.. johnson hat
eOunsellsd and oooperated with the clul
SS.ners as was his duty. there woult
I've i've been no transfer and no consequen
,usation. Instead. Mr.. johnson admit
t he waited to see what the Bosoi
Suo would do. Then, to use a populal
pnlase. he soaked US after we had com
listed the transfer; or. at least, n
,.s.ent anu Intended 10 40 -. AID ze
MMlued his action was taken to punisl
rsW York and Boston. and claimed h.
"ad the right to punish clubs.
a, ne had the opportunity to act 10
NE good of the league. but he preferre,
wait and bring about disruption b,
furnishing two clubs"