Evening star., 1920-02-03
YANKEES SUE BAN
FOR HALF million
. DOLLARS DAMAGES
Charge Effort to Drive Them
Out of Game-WouId Stop
Pay and Enjoin LoyalS.

NEW YORK. February 3.-The New
. York American League base ball cup
brought suit yesterday against Presi-
dent Ban Johnson for S5O0.00O dam
ages. on the ground that johnson
conceived the idea of driving the
clubs owners Col Jacob Rupert ana
-Coi. T. L. Huston. out of base Dali
The Yankees also brought two otner
suits yesterday. A second action oy
the club prays for a judgment re-
straining Johnson from paying 10
himself or receiving out OF the fundS
of the league any salary as an oilicldi
of the league since December 10. 1919
ION the ground that he is not holdlng
office according to the provisions OF
the constitution of the league.
The third action is against Johnson
and the five clubs supporting MIN,
Philadelphia Detroit. Cleveland. ST
Louis and Washington TINS actioh
seeks to restrain the defendants from
aiding what is alleged to be the pur-
pose of Johnson, to in1ure the New
York club; also it seeks to en]oln the
defendants from aiding Johnson iruIii
continuing in office IN VOCATION ol tne
constitution. This complaint asks Ioi
appointment OF receiver LOT tne
funds of the league. and for an IN
iunction during the pendency OF the
action.
Homes Of Cancellation Fade.
These three suits constitute the COM
plaintS in the actions Tor which 'oi,i
son and the club owners were SER
when the American League neau
meeting at the Biltmore on DeceihoeI
10 of last year Coming only a weeh
before the adjourned meeting Oh tIe
American League. which Will De heiu
in Chicago next week, the acuoh iliui-
Yates that there is little chance lot any
conciliatory measures benlS taAe" a.
the Chicago conciaVe
In the $4,000 damage suit against
johnson the complaint names seNeiai
alleged acts of johnson when are
claimed to have been injurious 10 tne
New York club. Among these the com
plaint mentions the suspension OF carr
MAYS. alleged erroneous statements
which Influenced the Giants 10 refuse
permission to the Yankees to use the
Polo Grounds after the season OF l9zo'
and also by making public the plans
which the New York club had for the
acquisition of a new site for base
,baII park. preventing its acquisition on
advantageous terms.
Johnson's Letter Produced
The complaint sets forth the letter
of Johnson to the five loyal ciuos,
dated August s. 1919. which was writ
ten by him shortly after the Mays
controversy arose and after it had
become evident that the New YORK
club would resist the order of suS-
pension which he had issued This
letter is marked personal and con-
fidential." and in it. after referring
to the difficulty over grounds. Mr..
johnson states, concerning Col Rup-
pert and Col. Huston:
1T is my judgment that they
should be retired from our organi-
zation. / am sure other peo-
pie can be interested in the propo-
sition and that a satisfactory ar
rangement can be made with the
present owners of the New York Ma
tional League club
The complaint in the second action
not only asks for Judgment restrain
ing Johnson from receiving money
FOR salary from the funds OF the
league, but also that he be required
to account for and restore, with in
terest, all sums he may have taken
for salary since December 10, 1919.
The complaint further alleges that
for a considerable period of time Mr.
Johnson, in violation of his obliga-
tions and duties under the constitu-
tion, has been endeavoring to usurp
to himself all power and authority in
the league. and that in retaliation for
the resistance of the New York club
he has endeavored to injure it and
to drive it out of base ball.
Have No Quarrel with Giants.
The Yankee owners made it plain
yesterday that they had to quarrel
with the Giants and sought none. The
man they are after. and after him
with all the resources at their COM
mand, is Johnson. The big fight is
on Johnson. of whose methods and
administration the colonels heartily
disapprove-
Justice Vernon NJ. Davis signed
yesterday an order for the taking in
Cleveland of the testimony of James
G. Dunn, president: Walter McNichois
secretary, and Z. s. Barnard, business
manager, of the CLEVELAND base ball
club. and requiring the club to pro-
duce for inspection its minute books.
stock books and other records con-
cerning the financial interest of Ban
johnson in the Cleveland club and
concerning his participation in it's af-
fairs