Evening star., 1919-04-03
SAYS He ''B[UFFED"
0. B. TO BUY PEACE
Former "Fed'' Head Asserts
His Asking $4,000 for
Club Brought Laugh.
EXPECTED TO COME DOWN

! League clubs, declared James A. Gill
more, former president of the Fed
| .ral League, who was the first wit
ness offered by the defendants today
at the trial before Justice Stafford
| and a jury of the suit to recover
! 100000 damages brought by the Bal
timore Fed" club against the clubs
| OF the major leagues and certain Of
ficials of the Federal League. Mr..
Gilmore is among the officials of the
Feds named as defendants and
sought to show he was trying to get
a good price for Baltimore.
Thought It Best to Start High.
The witness said he thought he
! might as we'll start high and come
down later, Testimony offered by the
plaintiff showed that organized ball
made a proposition to pay Baltimore
$50, 900 provided the Baltimore club
offer. it was shown, was declined by
Baltimore, and a provision was placed
in the peace agreement to refer thS
question Of Baltimore's right to a
committee of seven. on which Balti-
more was to have one representative
only.
Mr.. Gilmore said he was the orig
inator of the Gigantic bluff" thrown
by the Federal League when it I'm
vade6" New York. and that he was
convinced his scheme would have the
effect of soaring organized ball into
a proposal for peace. When one of
his associates doubted the outcome of
the scheme. Mr.. Gilmore said he offer
ed to bet 500 on it's success.
Tells of Bluff in Detail.
Mr.. Gilmore detailed the bluff"
which, he said, included the taking Of
a two-year lease on handsome offices
in New York city, and the purchase
of options on two squares of ground
adjacent to Hath street and Lenox
avenue. Keeping up the bluff. he said.
he secured authority from the board
OF aldermen to close the streets within
The area of the proposed park and
caused plans to be drawn for an
elaborate stadium.
The major league officials "fell" for
: the bluf1, witness said, and made over
lures for peace. Witness declined to
listen to the first proposition. he said.
out when the matter was pressed he
advised his associates to quit, since
'!e and other prominent officials Of the
Feds" were convinced that it was
utile to continue the Federal League.
Witness said Mr.. Rasin, president
Of the Baltimore club, was advised of
the peace pact and was present at
the meeting with organized ball when
/. the details of the peace agreement
were discussed.
The Feds" committee announced in
he presence of Mr. Rasin that it had
-ull power to negotiate peace. and that
dr Rasin did not dispute the state
1ent and that negotiations were then
ormally completed.
The question Of the silence Of Mr..
-asin working an "estoppar' against
NH ioh To o{eto to-
its suit precipitated a lengthy legal
irgument and here interrupted the
testimony of Mr.. Gilmore.
Outlines the Defense.
After The Stars report closed yes
terday. Attorney George Wharton
Pepper. for organized base bah, con-
tinuing his opening statement to the
jury, outlined the defense which the
major leagues will interpose. He said
in part:
We shall contend that professional
base ball is not interstate commerce
and that its regulation is no part of
he duty or power Of Congress.
We shall satisfy you that organized
empt at monopoly.
I'VE shall prove to you that the
jeace agreement of December. 1915,
as entered into by organized base
ball in the honest belief that the
agreement was satisfactory to every
member Of the Federal League.
We shall show you that the plain
tiff club. through it's president and at
torney, made a stror~fort to ac-
quire a franchise in Organized base
ball.
We shall satisfy you that the dis
solution Of the Federal League was
not the result of anything done by or
ganized base ball. but Of its own in
herent weakness.
I'VE shall satisfy you that the plain
tiff never had productive business
and suffered and would have contin-
ued to suffer large annual deficit"