The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-31
HAL CHASE CHARGED
WITH CROOKEDNESS
Heydler Makes Public National
League Rule Under Which
Player Is Tried.
TO DECIDE NEXT WEEK
Players Neale, Ring and Regain
and Manager McGraw Tes-
tify at Hearing.
TO DECIDE NEXT WEEK
~ FREDERICK G. LIEH.

~ FREDERICK G. LIEH.
After dragging along for nearly six
months the celebrated case OF Harold
Chase. the Cincinnati FIRST baseman. ac-
cused Of tampering with ball players
and betting against his own team. came
to trial at the National League Office
in this city yesterday.
Morning and afternoon sessions OF the
National League court were held. After
all witnesses had been cross-examined
John Heydler. president OF the National
League. announced that no decision
would be rendered until ne had closely
examined the evidence. Heydler said II
probably will take until next Monday
to get the evidence in typewriter form,
and that II might be a week before he
will be able to announce his decision.
However. for the first time the league
omcially announced the nature of the
charges lodged against Chase. Tho Gin
cinnau club charges Chase with viola
ton OF section 20 Of the National League
constitution. which appears under the
heading "Crookedness and Its Penalties"
and calls for q penalty OF permanent
disqualification from baseball for any
offender found guilty.
Accused OF violating Section 90.
Section 20 reads as followst ANY
person who shall be proven guilty
II Offering, agreeing. conspirine or at
tempting to cause any game Of ball to
result otherwise than on It's merits
under the playing rules. shall be for
ever disqualified by the president of
the league from acting az umpire,
manager or player or in any other ca
eAdty In any game Of ball participated
10 by league club"
Chase was well defended at the hear
ing. He had three lawyers. a clerk and
stenographer. All remained through
both sessions Of the hearing. Rudolph
l. Cherurg looked after Chases inter
ests- He was assisted by J. Franklin
Tausch and Harry Cheriet. other attor-
reys.
John Conway Tools. attorney Of the
National League. acted as counsel and
adviser to John Heydler.
The witnesses called by the Cincinnati
club were A. Earle Neale Of Parkers-
burg, W. Va. outfelder Of the Reds /:
James J. Ring Of Brooklyn. pitcher for
the Reds: Michael J. Regan OF Phoenix.
N. r.. another pitcher for the Reds. and
John ]. McGraw, manager OF the Giants
William Perritt the Giant pitcher,
also had been summoned TO attend the
hearing. but he wrote Heydler from his
plantation near Shreveport. La. that II
would be impossible for him to attend.
Ah,davits were read from Perritt. also
from Christopher Mathewson. who still
10 In France as member Of the expedi-
tionary forces. ,...
l. o. De Passe and L. E. Rich. local
business men. and Sid Mercer. New
York sporting writer. were called by
ChaSe's attorney a. character witnesses
for the first baseman.
There was no representative OF the
Cincinnati club present, despite the fact
that the clubs executives are responsible
for Hal being tried. Heydler explained
this by saying: The Cincinnati club
made formal charges against Chase that
he violated section 20 Of the National
League constitution. and the club sub
m!tped evidence to that effect II was up
TO me ~ president Of the league to take
UP the charges Of the Cincinnati club,
carefully examine the evidence submit
ted to me and render a decision"
McGraw Gives Evidence.
Despite the fact that John McGraw
was called by the league as a witness
against Chase. McGraw intinnated that
lie did not think the Cincinnati club had
a very strong case against the player
McGraw was asked to repeat a con-
Giants played their last series OF the
season In Cincinnati last July, in which
Chase 10 alleged to have told Perritt that
Chase would make II worth his while II
Perritt used special efforts to win that
game.
Chase also is supposed TO have made
Jimmy Ring. the Brooklyn pitcher. =
present OF SIS after he lost a game.
Chase's defense 10 that the money was
merely a gift
Earle Neale, the Cincinnati out
fielder. was the leading witness for the
Cincinnati club. He repeated several
conversations Chase had with other play
ers these conversations being to Chase's
disadvantage. Chase, on the other hand.
contends that Neale was the head OF a
clique on the Cincinnati club which had
~ in" for Chase, and that Neale lost no
opportunity to make things unpleasant
for him.
It also was charged against Chase
that he tried to influence Pitcher Mike
Regain
Chase's defense was that the charges
against him were absurd. that he has
been In baseball since 1905. longer than
any regular player In the game. and that
no charge OF dishonesty ever had been
made against him prior to the present
one. Chase entered his batting and field
ing averages in the three years he played
IN Cincinnati into the records. showing
his hitting was better with the Reds
than with any major league teams he
has played. Chase pointed out THAI he
led the league In hitting In 1915. and
that despite the fact that evidence was
submitted that he did not give his best
efforts last season he hit s301. II being
only the NTH time in his fourteen years
in the big leagues that he hit above 400.