New Britain herald., 1919-08-05
THINGS GROW DARK FOR BAN JOHNSON
Yankees Owners Allege League Head Is Interested in Cleveland

New York, Aug. 5.-One of the pltterest internal fights major league baseball has experienced is expected to follow the developmets today in the case of Carl Mays, New York american pitcher who was indefinite ly suspended by President Ban John son of the American league for re- iusal to pay a fine. The Yankee club ofnclals not only took steps yesterday 10 begin injunction proceedings against the league president to re- strain him from preventing New York using the player, but also issued statement in which it is directly charged that Johnson is interested in the Cleveland club. The statement made by Lieut. Col. T. l.. Huston, Treasurer and half owner of the Yan- kees, follows:
 The trouble is fundamental We believe that the president of the American league is interested in the Cleveland club. We are not going to attempt to prove this, but that is our belief, and we believe it is the convic- tion of every club owner in the American league. Until this carbun- cle is removed there can be no health in our 1eague.''
 After protracted conferences yes- terday of the New York owners, Col. Jacob Ruppert and Lieut.. Col. Illus ton and their lawyers, Harry Sparrow, business manager of the club, said: Legal machinery was put into mo- t1on yesterday to protect the clubs rights. Our attorneys were busy the greater part of he day in looking up he most expedient way to start legal action and in drawing up the neces- sary papers,
 To Be Real Fight.
 Col Huston stated that the preIim- mary action would be to get out an injunction against Johnson and pre- vent him from interfering with the New York clubs property rights. The clubs attorneys also took up the question of instituting personal damage suit against Johnson on be- half of Co.'s. Ruppert and Huston Discussing this phase of the situation, Col. Huston said:
 "Johnson brought this fight on himself and it will be a real fight We intend to take advantage of every means that honorable gentlemen may employ to protect our rights
 The New York club has a precedent for seeking to restrain Johnson from interfering in the use of Mays. Last summer the National baseball com- mission awarded Pitcher Scott Perry of the Philadelphia American club to the Boston Nationals, but Connie Mack, manager and part owner of the Philadelphia club, secured an in- Junction restraining the commission from making it's decree effective
 Col. Huston said that every club in the American league except Philadel- phia and St. Louis had made an of fer to Boston for Pitcher Mays
 MT. Johnson would not see press represen tatives yesterday, but issued a Statement announcing that the spe- cial meeting of the American league called for today had been cancelled The New York owners had informed Johnson that they would not attend the meeting. We would not take our case before packed jury" Illus ton said.
 Col. Huston denied reports that the Yankee players would not take the field tomorrow for their scheduled game with St. Louis unless Mays was reinstated. He said the players un- derstood the situation and will do nothing foolish, Manager Huggins has explained it to them" he added ''and they know we are doing every lining possible for them and the club"
 Boston, Aug. 5.-President H. H. Frazee left last night for New York to attend the special meeting of the American league, which had been called for today to take up the Carl Mays case, but which was cancelled last night. Frazee said he would op- pose any effort to have Mays suspend ed for the remainder of the season on the ground that five clubs in the league desired such action. He said he had affidavits that five clubs had attempted to buy Mays from his club, after it was announced that the pitch CT had left the Red Sox.
 Dunn Declines to Comment.
 Chicago, Aug. 5.-James Dunn, president of the Cleveland American